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BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) - The Idaho Steelheads don't open training camp until October 1, so why start putting in the ice at CenturyLink Arena on September 11?

Well, the Dallas Stars are supposed to show up in a week and a half for their own training camp, but that's only if the NHL players aren't locked out by the owners.

So with such high-end talent possibly on the way, there's a lot of pressure on these painters and ice aficionados to get the lines just right ... at least there would be for me. Apparently, a steady hand if helpful, but not required.

"When you're painting on here, you can actually do a decent job. You don't have to be perfect, because once you get the ice up to an inch, it blurs out. You won't even notice those little mistakes at all," said CenturyLink Arena Assistant Operations manager John McKay.

McKay also said he expects the crew to finish with the ice by Friday, and that news that makes my fellow puck people pretty happy.